On 10/19/2017 06:44 PM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote:
Here's an idle question with regard to the HP 7907 tape drive.
The service manual says to adjust read preamp output (using a
calibration tape) to 6.4V P-P.
Generally, this is working quite well, but there is an occasional tape
where I believe the signal levels have "faded" a bit, leading to the
occasional, but not infrequent parity error.
My question for those knowledgeable with this drive is what's the
downside of adjusting the gain to create an output of, say, 7V P-P?
Well, you might have to turn it back down for newly recorded
tapes. But, if you are using it only for recovery of old
data, maybe no downside at all.
But, there are so many defects in old tapes. There's
print-through, wrinkles from the tape pack scrunching,
weave, oxide flaking, dirt buildup, and maybe some others.
Jon
